Sloka & Translation

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[Trisanku decided to perform a sacrifice to ascend to heaven with the physical body -- refused by Vasishta, Trisanku approaches his sons and seeks their help.]

tatassantaptahṛdaya: smarannigrahamātmana:.

viniśśvasya viniśśvasya kṛtavairō mahatmanā৷৷1.57.1৷৷

sa dakṣiṇāṅ diśaṅ gatvā mahiṣyā saha rāghava! .

tatāpa paramaṅ ghōraṅ viśvāmitrō mahattapa:৷৷1.57.2৷৷

phalamūlāśanō dāntaścakāra sumahattapa:.


rāghava! O! Rama, tata: afterwards, mahātmanā by the magnanimous, kṛtavaira: having created enmity, sa: viśvāmitra: that Visvamitra, santaptahṛdaya: with distressed heart, ātmana: himself, nigraham disgrace, smaran recollecting, viniśśvasya viniśśvasya repeatedly sighing, mahiṣyā saha with his eldest wife, dakṣiṇāṅ diśam towards southernquarter, gatvā having gone, ghōram strict (self-torturing ), mahat great, tapa: penance, tatāpa performed, phalamūlāśana: subsisting on fruits and roots, dānta: with senses fully controlled, sumahat most rigid, tapa: austerities, cakāra performed.

"O Descendant of Raghu (Rama)! having created enmity between himself and the magnanimous Vasishta, Viswamitra recollecting the disgrace and repeatedly sighing with a distressed heart went with his eldest wife towards southern quarter to perform rigorous penance. Subsisting on fruits and roots and his senses underfull control he performed the most rigid austerities.
athāsya jajñirē putrāssatyadharmaparāyaṇā:.

haviṣyandō madhuṣyandō dṛḍhanētrō mahāratha:৷৷1.57.3৷৷


atha after some time, asya for him, haviṣyanda: Havishyanda, madhuṣyanda: Madhushyanda, dṛḍhanētra: Dridhanetra, mahāratha: Maharatha, satyadharmaparāyaṇā: practising truth and duty, putrā: sons, jajñirē were born.

After some time, four sons, Havishyanda, Madhushyanda, Drudhanetra and Maharatha, who (later) wer wedded to truth and duty, were born."
pūrṇē varṣasahasrē tu brahmā lōkapitāmaha:.

abravīnmadhuraṅ vākyaṅ viśvāmitraṅ tapōdhanam৷৷1.57.4৷৷


varṣasahasrē thousand years, pūrṇē when completed, pitāmaha: grandsire of the worlds, brahmā Brahma, tapōdhanam the great ascetic, viśvāmitram addressing Visvamitra, madhuram pleasant, vākyam words, abravīt spoke.

A thousand years passed. The Grandsire of the worlds, Brahma, appeared. He spoke to Viswamitra, the great ascetic, these pleasant words:
citā rājarṣilōkāstē tapasā kuśikātmaja!.

anēna tapasā tvāṅ tu rājarṣiriti vidmahē৷৷1.57.5৷৷


kuśikātmaja! O! Son of Kausika, tē your, tapasā with austerities, rājārṣilōkā: the worlds of rajarshis, citā: have been won, anēna on account of this, tapasā austerities, tvām you, rājārṣi:(iti) rajarshi, vidmahē is acknowledged.

"O Son of Kushika! with your austerities you have won the worlds of the rajarshis. On account of your austerities, you are acknowledged a rajarshi".
ēvamuktvā mahātējā jagāma saha daivatai:.

triviṣṭapaṅ brahmalōkaṅ lōkānāṅ paramēśvara:৷৷1.57.6৷৷


mahātējā: highly illustrious, lōkānām for worlds, paramēśvara: supreme lord, ēvam thus, uktvā having spoken, daivatai: along with devatas, brahmalōkam Brahma loka, triviṣṭapam heavens, jagāma went.

Having said this the glorious (Brahma), supreme lord of the worlds, left for his abode
in Brahmaloka, in heaven accompanied by the gods.
viśvāmitrō.pi tacchrutvā hriyā kiñcidavāṅmukha:.

du:khēna mahatā৷৷viṣṭassamanyuridamabravīt ৷৷1.57.7৷৷


viśvāmitrō.pi Visvamitra also, tat śrutvā hearing this word, hriyā with shame, kiñcit a little, avāṅmukha: hanging down his face, mahatā with great, du:khēna distreess, āviṣṭa: possessed by, samanyu: with anger, idam this word, abravīt spoke.

On hearing this Viswamitra hanging down his face a little with shame and anger and grief said:
tapaśca sumahattaptaṅ rājarṣiriti māṅ vidu:.

dēvāssarṣigaṇāssarvē nāsti manyē tapa:phalam৷৷1.57.8৷৷


sumahat exceedingly great, tapa: austerities, taptam performed, mām me, rājarṣiriti as rajarshi, sarṣigaṇā: hosts of rishis, sarvē dēvā: all devatas, vidu: recognising, tapa: phalam fruit of penance, nāsti is not, manyē thinking.

"I have performed intense austerities. Yet rishis and devatas have recognised me only as a rajarshi. I think my penance has yielded fruit.
iti niścitya manasā bhūya ēva mahātapā:.

tapaścakāra kākutstha paramaṅ paramātmavān৷৷1.57.9৷৷


kākutstha O! Rama, mahātapāḥ (mahāyaśā:) highly famous, paramātmavān great intellectual, iti thus, manasā with his mind, niścitya having decided, bhūya: ēva once again, paramam greater, tapa: austerities, cakāra performed.

"O Descendant of Kakustha (Rama)! this celebrated intellectual having decided in his mind once again performed greater austerities.
ētasminnēva kālē tu satyavādī jitēndriya:.

triśaṅkuriti vikhyāta ikṣvākukulavardhana:৷৷1.57.10৷৷


ētasminnēva kālē at this time, satyavādī truthful, jitēndriya: with subdued senses, ikṣvākukulavardhana: one who renowned in Ikshwaku race, triśaṅkuriti named Trishanku, vikhyāta: celebrated (there was a king).

At this time there lived a celebrated king, renowned in the Ikshvakus race, named Trisanku, who was truthful and self restrained.
tasya buddhissamutpannā yajēyamiti rāghava! .

gacchēyaṅ svaśarīrēṇa dēvānāṅ paramāṅ gatim৷৷1.57.11৷৷


rāghava O! Rama, svaśarīrēṇa with his physical body, dēvānām of devatas, gatim obtaining heaven, gacchēyam will obtain, yajēyam I shall perform sacrifice, tasya his, buddhi: thought, samutpannā arose in this way.

"O Son of the Raghus (Rama)! a thought arose in his mind to enter heaven with his physical body by performing a sacrifice.
sa vasiṣṭhaṅ samāhūya kathayāmāsa cintitam.

aśakyamiti cāpyuktō vasiṣṭhēna mahātmanā৷৷1.57.12৷৷


sa: he, vasiṣṭham Vasishta, samāhūya summoning, cintitam his intention, kathayāmāsa narrated, mahātmanā by the magnanimous, vasiṣṭhēna by Vasishta, aśakyamiti not capable so, ukta: api spoken also.

Summoning Vasishta he (Trisahnku) communicated his intention, but the great Vasishta said it was not possible.
pratyākhyātō vasiṣṭhēna sa yayaudakṣiṇāṅ diśam.

tatastatkarmasiddhyarthaṅ putrāṅ stasya gatō nṛpa:৷৷1.57.13৷৷


vasiṣṭhēna by Vasishta, pratyākhyāta: refused, dakṣiṇām diśam towards southern direction, yayau went, tata: afterwards, nṛpa: king, tatkarmasiddhyartham to fulfill his purpose, tasya his(Vasishta's), putrān sons, gata: went.

Refused by Vasishta, the king went south in order to fulfil his purpose and approached Vasishta's sons.
vāsiṣṭhā dīrghatapasastapō yatra hi tēpirē.

triśaṅṅkussumahātējā śśataṅ paramabhāsvaram৷৷1.57.14৷৷

vasiṣṭhaputrān dadṛśē tapyamānān yaśasvina:.


dīrghatapasa: performing asceticism for a long time, vāsiṣṭhā: Vasistha's sons, yatra where, tapa: penance, tēpirē performed, sumahātējā: most brilliant, triśaṅṅku: Trishanku, paramabhāsvaram exceedingly effulgent, śatam hundred, yaśasvina: possessing fame, tapyamānān performing austerities, vasiṣṭhaputrān sons of Vasistha, dadṛśē beheld.

Most brilliant Trisanku approached the sons of Vasishta in the place where they had been performing austerities for a long time. There he saw the famous, exceedingly effulgent sons of Vasishta one hundred in number practising penance.
sō.bhigamya mahātmanassarvānēva gurōssutān৷৷1.57.15৷৷

abhivādyānupūrvyēṇa hriyā kiñcidavāṅmukha:.

abravītsumahābhagānsarvānēva kṛtāñjali:৷৷1.57.16৷৷


sa: he (the king), mahātmana: illustrious, sarvānēva all, gurō: sutān sons of spiritual guide, abhigamya having approached, ānupūrvyēṇa in the order of the age, abhivādya having paid obeisance, hriyā in humility, kiñcit a little, avāṅmukha: bowing down his face, kṛtāñjali: with folded palms, sarvānēva all those, (su)mahābhāgān distinguished ones, abravīt spoke.

The king, having approached all the illustrious sons of his spiritual guide, paid obeisance to them in order of seniority. Bowing down his face in humility and with folded palms, he addressed all those distinguished sons of Vasishta saying:
śaraṇaṅ va: prapadyē.haṅ śaraṇyān śaraṇāgata:.

pratyākhyātō.smi bhadraṅ vō vasiṣṭhēna mahātmanā৷৷1.57.17৷৷


śaraṇāgata: seeking refuge, aham I, śaraṇyān protectors, va: you, śaraṇaṅ prapadyē seeking refuge, va: to you, bhadram prosperity, mahātmanā by the magnanimous, vasiṣṭhēna by Vasishta, pratyākhyāta: asmi I have been refused.

O protectors of those who seek refuge in you, protect me. Wish you well. I have been refused by the great Vasishta.
yaṣṭukāmō mahāyajñaṅ tadanujñātumarhatha.

guruputrānahaṅ sarvānnamaskṛtya prasādayē৷৷1.57.18৷৷


mahāyajñam great sacrifice, yaṣṭukāma: desire to perform, tat for that reason, anujñātum to give consent, arhatha fit and proper, aham I, guruputrān sons of spiritual guide, sarvān all of you, namaskṛtya having paid my homage, prasādayē I will please you.

'I wish to perform a great sacrifice. You are worthy enough to tender your consent. I pay homage to all the sons of my spiritual guide oblige.
śirasā praṇatō yācē brāhmaṇān tapasi sthitān.

tē māṅ bhavantassiddhyarthaṅ yājayantu samāhitā:৷৷1.57.19৷৷

saśarīrō yathā.haṅ hi dēvalōkamavāpnuyām.


śirasā with my head, praṇata: saluting by bowing down, tapasi sthitān you established in austerity, brāhmaṇān you, Brahmins, yācē beg, tē such, bhavanta: all of you, samāhitā: with composed minds, mām me, siddhyartham for achieving the purpose, yājayantu direct me in performing the sacrifice, aham I, saśarīra: in physical form, yathā in such manner, dēvalōkam heaven, avāpnuyām will reach.

You, brahmins are established in austerity. I bow to you. I beg all of you to direct me with composed minds to direct me in order to attain heaven in physical form'.
pratyākhyātō vasiṣṭhēna gatimanyāṅ tapōdhanā:৷৷1.57.20৷৷

guruputrānṛtē sarvānnāhaṅ paśyāmi kāñcana.


tapōdhanā: O! Men having asceticism for your wealth, vasiṣṭhēna by Vasishta, pratyākhyāta: refused, aham I, sarvān all, guruputrānṛtē other than sons of spiritual guide, anyān others, gatim way, kāñcana anything, na paśyāmi do not see.

O Ascetocs! after having been rejected by Vasishta. I do not see any way other than the sons of my spiritual guide to help me achieve my purpose.
ikṣvākūṇāṅ hi sarvēṣāṅ purōdhā: paramā gati:৷৷1.57.21৷৷

purōdhasastu vidvāṅsastārayanti sadā nṛpān.

tasmādanantaraṅ sarvē bhavantō daivataṅ mama৷৷1.57.22৷৷


sarvēṣām for all, ikṣvākūṇām descendants of Ikshvaku, purōdhā: spiritual preceptor, paramā gati: hi is indeed supreme salvation, vidvāṅsa: learned, purōdhasa: spiritual preceptors, sadā always, nṛpān kings, tārayanti liberated, tasmāt for that reason, anantaram after him, bhavanta: you, sarvē all, mama to me, daivatam gods.

For all the descendants of Ikshvakus the spiritual preceptor is the supreme resort for salvation. Learned spiritual preceptors have always liberated kings. Hence you are all gods to me only next to Vasishta".
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē bālakāṇḍē saptapañcāśassarga:৷৷
Thus ends the fiftyseventh sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic
composed by sage Valmiki.